Research
The strategic implications of black empowerment in South Africa: a case study of boundary choice and client preferences in a small firm
Stellenbosch Working Paper Series No. WP07/2010Publication date: 2010
Author(s):
This paper initiates a research programme on the strategic implications of BEE, through an in-depth case study of a small South African services firm. The case involves a meter-reading firm that has adapted flexible boundaries within the value chain to accommodate heterogeneous client preferences shaped by BEE policy. While the case is very specific, the analysis highlights three core features of BEE policy as a strategic variable. Firstly, the case supports an assertion that BEE policy is a demand-based intervention, altering client preferences regarding the value chain. Secondly, the case confirms that BEE is a market-based policy that may be implemented in a variety of ways by different clients. Thirdly, the case shows that firms do not passively respond to BEE policy but explore strategic responses that balance BEE requirements with other organizational goals.
JEL Classification:L22, M14
Keywords:Boundaries, Vertical integration, Demand-side; Black empowerment
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25 Apr 2025 Budget 3.0 loading; Trump starts to walk back tariff threats and Fed bullying (for now)This week was marked by policy reversals and clarifications both in SA and abroad, as policymakers confronted the consequences of their decisions. In the US, the administration softened its previously hardline stance on tariffs and downplayed earlier critiques of the US Federal Reserve (Fed). At home, SA’s National Treasury retracted its VAT increase...
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